Who Stands Fast?

03/23/17

John Stonestreet

“Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God – the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

If there had ever been a time to “head for the hills,” January 1943 might have been it for German Christians. As Germany faced defeat, the Nazi regime was lashing out at domestic enemies – including the Church – with renewed ferocity.

Yet Dietrich Bonhoeffer decided to stand fast, to answer the call “to obedient and responsible action in faith.”

And that is exactly what believers in 2017 are called to. Running for cover from the challenges of our day, or scolding culture from the sidelines are not options for believers. The Christian life, including all of the ethical complexities of this cultural moment, must be lived… not merely believed.

The Christian faith is incarnational. God became man; God with us. Into this world. Christianity is no gnostic “ascent” to a higher plane of disembodied faith, and it’s no escape from the trials of this world. That was Bonhoeffer’s point – that Christianity has to be lived with boots on the ground.

But without the clarity of a well-informed, robust, scripturally based Christian worldview, our engagement with the culture will be flawed. In Scripture, we are given the stable truths that must undergird our work in the world. The imago dei, for example, is the grounding for all of our interactions with others, including those on the “other side” of critical issues. The fall and its consequences for both individuals and communities clarify what is at the root of all of the world’s brokenness. And, the obedient work of Christ stands at the center of history, promising the restoration of all things and compelling us to make the invisible kingdom visible.

That’s what you help make possible through your gifts and prayers. From the daily drumbeat of truth through BreakPoint commentaries, to forming worldview leaders through the Colson Fellows Program, to the upcoming Wilberforce Weekend, your support means more Christians can stand fast, not swayed by the shifting sands of circumstance, culture, or politics, but fully prepared to join with Christ in His grand work of restoration. Thank you for your partnership and generosity to help so many “stand fast” in our culture today!

By John Stonestreet